Rashaad Newsome & Johnny Symons | USA | 99 min | CAPTIONS
Co-presented by The Kween Company
Co-presented by Guelph Black Heritage Society
Co-presented by Art Gallery of Guelph
In Partnership with the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation
Supported by Queer Night Out
Supported by DiverseWorks Co.
Supported by Shyne Body Butter
EVENT: Flow & Transform
Feature Film Screening: A multisensory extravaganza that summons a cast of global performers to transform a historic military facility into a queer, Afro-futurist utopia. Contemporary artist Rashaad Newsome embarks on his most ambitious project yet—a multimedia exhibition and performance at New York’s historic Park Avenue Armory. Once a bastion of white military power, the Armory is transformed into a vibrant celebration of Black and queer culture through video projections, AI holograms, sculptures, collages, music, dance, and African fractal patterns. This reimagining challenges colonial structures while honoring the complexity and resilience of Black experience, turning pain into artistic power.
Through innovative hybrid storytelling, breathtaking visual effects, and the ongoing presence of ancestors, Assembly transcends traditional documentary as it weaves together Rashaad’s creative process, dynamic performances, and the lives of his collaborators. Powerful moments, such as a memorial for murdered Black trans women that evolves into a protest march, highlight art’s capacity to reclaim agency and inspire change, offering a vision of intergenerational resilience, transformation, and hope.
Pre & Post Screening: The Kween Company invites audiences into an immersive evening of reflection and community. The evening begins with an interactive welcome featuring queer-centred performance and a chance to contribute to a living Breath Wall: a visual artwork built collectively by attendees.
Following the screening of Assembly, the event continues with a post-show sensory circle of meditation, sound, and shared words designed specifically as a safer space for BIPOC and queer communities to reflect and imagine together.
All are welcome to attend the pre-screening activities and film, with the closing gathering held intentionally for BIPOC and queer participants.
DIRECTOR BIO:
Rashaad Newsome
Rashaad Newsome is an award-winning filmmaker, multidisciplinary artist, and innovator whose work defies conventional boundaries, blending film, performance, technology, and community organizing. Through his visionary approach, he crafts immersive experiences that challenge outdated narratives and create new spaces for Black, queer, and trans stories to thrive. Rashaad's previous works include critically acclaimed projects that merge animation, sculpture, music, and artificial intelligence. His films reflect a philosophy of collage—both in form and content—deconstructing and reimagining the world through expansive, inclusive lenses.
Johnny Symons
Johnny Symons is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker who has directed and produced multiple award-winning LGBTQ-themed feature documentaries. His films include Daddy & Papa, which premiered at Sundance, broadcast in more than a dozen countries and garnered 12 festival awards; Out Run, which premiered at Full Frame and aired on public television; and Ask Not, which broadcast nationally on PBS and screened at the U.S. Capitol. His work has screened at more than 200 international film festivals and received support from funders such as Sundance, Tribeca, ITVS, Catapult, HBO, Frameline, and the California Council for the Humanities.
